Just Once
by Gibbsfan1
Summary: Tony and Ziva are trapped in the elevator at the end of Season 9... TIVA ...
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note,**_

_**This is a story that has been brewing in my mind over the last few weeks…**_

_**It can stand as a oneshot or become something more. It depends on the response I receive from you all. It is set at the end of Season 9 and is a Tiva story. **_

_**Enjoy and Review. Thanks.**_

_**Rating : M – Contains explicit adult content.**_

Tony pushed Ziva ahead of him, "You need to leave now Ziva."

"Not without you," Ziva grabbed his arm and pulled him with her into the empty elevator.

The elevator doors closed and it barely moved before they heard a loud bang.

"Damn it," Tony said reaching for Ziva as the elevator jerked violently propelling them apart like rag dolls and smashing them against its walls. And then they were freefalling as the elevator cable snapped.

"Tony!" Ziva gasped a moment before her head connected with the solid elevator floor and her world turned black.

Tony lay on his side, blinking rapidly in an effort to clear his misted gaze. But it was no use, the pain in his head made staying focusing impossible. His last gaze was of Ziva on her side, covered in dirt, her head bleeding and her body still.

_Don't you die on me…_ He thought as he sank into a dark abyss.

Someone was stroking his head. He felt warm and his legs were cramped. Those stroking fingers ran into his hair and he heard soft whispers. The fingers moved back to his forehead and retraced a part to his hairline. It felt so gentle, so caring.

He murmured as he moved his head wanting more of the caressing hand. That was a mistake. Pain sliced across his head and down to the back of his neck.

"Shh, Tony. Try not to move." Ziva whispered urgently.

"Ouch. What the hell happened?" Tony opened his eyes and squinted up at her. It was dark except for what looked like an emergency blue light. It was also warm, dusty and cramped. A moment later he looked up at Ziva and realized that his head was on her thigh and her fingers were in his hair.

Then he remembered.

He sat up abruptly and cursed as nausea and dizziness assailed him. He felt Ziva's arms clamp around him to stop him from falling back to the floor.

"Will you keep still? You could have a concussion or worse. And it's not like we're going anywhere." Ziva stated.

"How long …" He coughed. "How long was I out?" He asked when he felt like he could hold onto the contents of his stomach.

"I'm not sure." Ziva replied. "But longer than me obviously."

Tony looked at her, reach out to run his hand over her face and felt the crusted blood in her hairline.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" he asked.

"No, just my head, and a few bruises. And you?"

"My head … neck." Tony replied moving his arms and legs gingerly. He put his hands to the floor and pushed his back firmly against the wall. His hand pressed against his phone and he lifted it up.

"It's no use, there is no signal in here. I guess the explosive knocked out the communication link." Ziva said.

"So no one knows we're in here." Tony stated, his voice getting louder. "It could be hours, maybe days before they find us."

"Tony, calm down." Ziva put her hands on his shoulders. "Gibbs won't wait days. He will find us."

"That's if his still alive." The words slipped out before Tony could stop them.

"I've been wondering the same thing. I hope Gibbs, McGee and Abby made it out safely."  
"We have to believe they did. You don't think Gibbs was going to let a little thing like an explosion take him out. He is probably out there hunting Harper Daring down right now. No one messes with Gibbs' team and gets away with it. Not even death can stop Gibbs from getting his man." Tony mumbled.

He hated this. Being trapped was one thing. Being trapped in a tin can, in the semi-dark with only dust to inhale was another. He could already feel the irritation in his throat. He needed to get out of here.

"You're right Tony. We need to keep ourselves safe and pray that our friends are safe too." Ziva said as she turned her back to him and striped off her t-shirt.

"Mm. What are you doing?" Tony asked.

"It's boiling hot in here Tony. I don't want to pass out from heat exhaustion." Ziva said, as she tied her top across her breasts and turned back to face Tony. She was still decently covered but the air in the elevator changed.

"You should get out of your shirt too." Ziva said reaching for his shirt front and unbuttoning it.

"Ziva, I'm okay." Tony said as he stopped her hands at his waist.

"Tony, what if we'd died today." Ziva looked at Tony intently.

"But we didn't."

"We could have."

"We're okay Ziva."

"But we're trapped and could still die today."

"Ziva, come on."

"Wouldn't you …" she reached up to cup his face. "Tony, wouldn't you want to know what it would be like …

"What would 'what' be like?" Tony wondered if she meant what he thought she meant.

"What it would be like between you and me?"

"Ziva, you're in shock. You don't know what you're doing." He moved her hand away as he felt his body stir.

_I have dreamt of what it would be like, what it could be like between us. I have spent many sleepless nights needing you and wanting you. Oh God, Ziva, but this is not the time or the place. _

"Tony, don't deny me today." Ziva whispered as she got onto her knees and moved close to him. "I have wanted to be you but you always brush me off with a smirk or a laugh."

"No I don't." _Oh god Ziva, You're serious!_

"Today, don't do that."

"Ziva, but…"

"I am not in shock. I am not confused. I want you, Tony. Don't deny me."

All his breathe left his lungs. She was very serious. She was of sound body and mind. She wanted him and she wasn't prepared to wait. Her lips were against his jawline, kissing him. Could this really be happening?

He took her by her arms and pushed her away.

"Ziva, wait." He panted. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

She reached behind her back and undid her t-shirt. She slipped the straps of her bra off her shoulders but still kept herself covered.

"Ziva…" Tony choked, the dim light in the elevator making the moment electrifyingly sensual.

She took his hand and gently laid it against her still covered breast.

"Please Tony, just once. Right now, right here. Just this once…" She moved forward her face mere millimeters away from his.

Tony growled something unintelligible and pulled her to him. His lips pressed against hers and his tongue warred with hers. Years of pent up desire roared through his veins. Her hands wrapped around his neck, her fingers massaged his head. She returned his kiss with equal ferocity and vigor.

Tony loved the taste of her. She was wild in her desire and she spurred him on taking and giving back as their tongues danced and caressed each other. His hands roamed over her back freely. He loved the feel of her shapely muscles and the heat radiating off her body. In his wildest dreams he never imagined that she would want this as much as he did.

Ziva moaned and gasped as Tony kissed her divinely. She had known it would be powerful but nothing had prepared her for this intensity. His hands roamed across her body sending goose flesh racing across her skin. She wanted to feel his skin against hers. She reached down to his shirt and undid the remaining buttons before stripping it off his body.

Tony reached for the clasp on her bra and undid it. Ziva, panting pulled away from him as he slid her bra down her arms. In the merger light she saw Tony's eyes gaze upon her naked breasts. She felt her breasts swell and her nipples pebble as desire raced deep into her core.

"God, Ziva, you are beautiful." Tony whispered. His hands moved up her waist and cupped her supple flesh, squeezing and kneading. Ziva moaned out arching backwards and Tony growled as he took first one and then the other swollen bud into his hot, wet mouth. Ziva held his head close, and cried out at the delicate torture he put her through as his tongue lavishly flicked across her highly sensitive flesh. He practically worshipped her breasts and made her feel more delectable then she ever had before. She moaned his name over and over again. Her body arched and rocked with each flick of his tongue.

Tony felt her raw need heighten. She was reaching a crest and he was going to make it as sweet as he possibly could. This was their first time together and he wanted her to totally and utterly surrender to the sensations he was giving her. She moved more frantically, her fingers dug into his shoulders and the back of his head, he hips rocked and her moans became louder.

"Tony… Oh …Oh … Oh …" she panted.

"Let it happen… Let go … Ziva… Let go…" Tony whispered between suckling her. Then he surprised her by closing his teeth firmly around her swollen bud and biting down. His tongue flicked hard and wild and she cried out as a powerful wave of ecstasy vibrated from deep within her core and radiated through her whole body.

She panted, gasped and rubbed herself against Tony, tiny shivers racing across her skin and making her feel so sexual, so womanly, so desirable. No one had ever made her feel this way before. She leaned forward and took Tony's face in her hands and she kissed him deeply, longingly, devotedly.

Tony moaned his body tense and pulsating.

Ziva drew back and purred, "That was amazing. Now it's your turn…"

"Oh God … Ziva!"

Author's Note:

Let me know your thoughts….

And should Tony have a turn?


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note:**

**Thank you for all the messages, reviews and favourites and alerts….**

**Here's the next chapter… Enjoy and review please… Thanks.**

Tony shuddered with the intensity of need coursing through his veins. He wanted her and the fact that he had her in his arms, naked to the waist, breathing heavily from her deep orgasm, which he had played a role in creating, was beyond belief.

Yet worry niggled the back of his mind. _What happens when we get out of this tin can? _

Then he couldn't think anymore. Ziva wasn't waiting for him to take the lead. Her hands were trailing down his body, her lips against his neck, sucked against his pulse, maddening him. She murmured his name and he heard her passion rising again. Her scent was intoxicating, her mouth soft and rough against his skin, her hands on his trouser waist.

Tony pulled her up, hard against him. She looked up at him puzzled.

"Tony? Don't stop me. I want…." she questioned.

He wrapped his hands into her hair and pressed his mouth against her lips. He kissed her deeply and felt like he was drowning into her. His hands moved sensuously down her back and rounded her waist. He undid her trousers and forced her to her knees so that he could slip them and her G-string off.

Ziva moaned as the cool air in the elevator caressed her hot, wet womanly flesh.

Tony kissed her lips, her neck, her chest. His lips suckling her heavy, swollen breasts. He indicated with his hands that he want her to get to her feet so that he could remove her clothes completely. Ziva was so entranced by his brand of passion she obeyed him, kicking her clothes out of the way. As she made to sink back to her knees he said, "No. I want to look at you."

Ziva shuddered as his gaze ran intimately over every inch of her.

"Beautiful, absolutely beautiful…." He growled. When she again made to sink back to the floor, he held her still, his hands on her hips. Then he pulled her close. Making eye contact with her he said, "I want to taste you." Ziva gasped as he pressed his hot mouth to the apex of her thighs.

Ziva exploded at the first wet, sleek, slide of his tongue. Her knees trembled and she held onto his head to keep from collapsing. His pressed him closer, tighter against her and made her cry out again.

Tony groaned as he tasted her nectar, "You are delicious, God. Just delicious..." He dipped his raunchy tongue into her core, in and out and in and out, wanting her to give him more and more of her.

Ziva floated between heaven and earth, her body writhing as wave after wave of exquisite sensation raced across her body, both inside and out. Her thighs parted and clamped around his head as he varied the speed and intensity of his oral worship. She rubbed herself against mouth wanting more and crying out when he obliged. Tony's ministrations drove her mad…. And she loved every moment of it. _This was heaven. No this was hell. Oh God, this was lust…. No not lust. This was love… intimate, sensual, divine and total surrender._

Tony had not felt such an intense peak of arousal in all his years and he wanted to be inside her, now. As he soothed her devoured flesh, flowering core, he undid his trousers and released his hardness.

"Ziva… I need you." He groaned raggedly, his hard flesh aching. He helped her down to her knees and she reached out to touch him, "Mmmmm Tony….."

"No, I won't survive that. Take me inside you, Ziva." He whispered, pulling her closer. She shuddered, pressed close to him and slide down over his engorged phallus slowly, making both of them cry out.

He held her close, his lips crushing hers, his tongue invading her mouth in the same rhythm as her hips swallowed and released his hardness. She rode his flesh hard, taking him deeper and deeper into her tightness. She was slick and hot and her scent was amazing.

"You are so beautiful." He whispered as he slid down onto his back. She was still intimately locked to him. He pressed his hands to her bottom, kneading her supple flesh as he stilled her movements. And then took her lips again and began thrusting up into her heat.

"Tony …. Oh….ohhh…..ohhhhh….. YES!" She panted as she convulsed around his flesh, holding onto him so tightly that it was a miracle he didn't explode.

Panting and spasming, Ziva kissed him. His hardness twitched within her and she moaned and moved on him.

"Again Ziva… Just once more…." He groaned. He was so close. He prayed he would last long enough to draw one more wrenching orgasm from her sleek body.

"Ah, Ahhh, Oh …. Tony…." she panted.

"Ziva….." he groaned repeated, between ragged breathes.

They ground against each other harder now, their bodies hot from exertion, her core and his hardness demanding release. He felt her convulsions, heard her moans become cries and knew that she was peaking. He tried to hold on, but she clenched around him and whispered his name in utter awe and wonder and that was more than he could take. He pressed her closer still; thrust hard and deep twice more before sinking himself to the hilt within her core as his sex exploded.

Ziva felt the flood he created within her. It was lush and hot and she felt so full and so filled. He twitched and pulsed inside her until there was nothing more he could release. An incredible sense of fulfillment and satisfaction filled him. He was where he had always wanted to be…

Panting Ziva collapsed, boneless and ecstatically satiated on top of Tony. "I…" she panted. "I knew it would be good… I just never … realized it could be like this." She said looking at him.

Tony panted, a roughish grin appearing on his face.

Ziva blushed feeling suddenly shy. She tucked her face again his shoulder and wondered _what are we going to when we get out of here? _

It felt so right to have Ziva draped over him like this, naked, hot, sweaty and sexually exhausted. He had just never felt this type of deep connection with anyone before and he wondered what it meant. He caressed her back and bottom, his fingertips soothing her sensitive skin. She moaned and curled into him more comfortable. She was almost asleep, he sensed. He leaned up and kissed her forehead.

"Mmm, I love you..." She sighed as sleep overcame her.

Tony watched her for a long time, thrilled and terrified at her words. But as sleep lulled him, he whispered, "I love you too, Ziva."

_**Author's Note:**_

_**Should I continue…? Feels that this story could develop into sometime great…**_

_**Let me know your thoughts… Thanks.**_


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note:_

_Thank you for all the reviews for this story…_

_I'm glad to know that you are enjoying it._

_Here's the next chapter… Read and review please :_

…

Ziva awoke to the sound of banging and shouting. As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she realized that she was naked and so was Tony. Oh goodness, and they were about to be rescued!

"Tony, wake up." She said, standing up and pulling her clothes on in a hastily.

A muffled sound from the other side of the elevator door reached her.

"Ziva, DiNozzo?"

"We're here, Gibbs." Ziva shouted back.

She turned to look at Tony expecting him to be on his feet, dressing. But he was still on the ground, asleep.

Ziva kneeled down next to him and shook his shoulders, "Come on Sleepy Head. Gibbs is about to walk in on us."

But Tony didn't wake up. He didn't react in any way. "Tony," a shiver of fear raised up Ziva's spine. "This is no time to joke. Wake up!"

Nothing happened.

Then she heard it.

Tony's breathing.

It was shallow, like a low whistle.

She looked closely at him in the merger light. His lips looked dry and his body felt hot. But he was trembling. No, he was shivering.

"Tony, what's wrong?" Ziva demanded as the noises outside the elevator got louder.

_He is unconscious._ The realization hit her like a ton of bricks.

_How is this possible?_

Ziva heard Gibbs growling at the people working outside. There was no time to wonder what was going on. Gibbs would have a cardiac infarction if he found Tony passed out and naked on the floor. Ziva pushed her fears aside, reached for Tony's clothes and started dressing him. Just as she got his shirt on, the elevator doors opened a few inches.

"Ziva, you guys okay?" Gibbs demanded.

"Tony's… " Ziva looked down at Tony. Gibbs' eyes followed hers.

"Get me a medic!" Gibbs shouted to someone standing behind him.

"How bad is he hurt?" Gibbs demanded.

"He complained about a bump to the back of his head. But he was fine. Then we must have fallen asleep." Ziva turned away from Gibbs as she felt the heat rise in her cheeks.

"How long has he been out?" Gibbs asked.

Ziva looked at her watch.

"Ziva?"

"I don't know, a few hours. How long have we been trapped in here?" Ziva asked, still looking at her watch.

"About 15 hours." Gibbs said. "You okay Ziva?"

"15 hours. I don't know how long he's been sleeping but he won't wake up, Gibbs. I don't know what's wrong with him." Ziva whispered.

Gibbs' reached into the elevator and took her hand. Ziva looked back at him surprised by the unexpected touch.

"Let's get you out of there so that DiNozzo can get the attention he needs." Gibbs said.

Gibbs and the firefighters opened the elevator door further and Gibbs helped Ziva climb out. She was shaky and seemed fragile. It was not a word Gibbs would ever associate with her. But in this moment, that was exactly how she appeared. Gibbs wrapped an arm around her, kissed her forehead and whispered, "Tony's going to be okay."

Two EMT's climbed into the elevator and started working on Tony. A back brace was handed to them and they strapped him onto it.

Ziva was grateful for the strength Gibbs' arm provided. She felt lightheaded and slightly disorientated. Being confined in a small space could do that to a person. Then she remembered the rest of the team and tensed up.

"Gibbs, where's Abby, McGee and Director Va….?"

The EMT's started calling out Tony's vitals to a 3rd medic who was handing equipment to them.

"McGee's at the ER. He was hit in the side by flying glass. The wound's superficial and he should be okay. Abby's got a few cuts and bruises. Leon's outside co-ordinating the rescue and recovery op with Sec Nav." Gibbs replied.

"Thank goodness." Ziva said. "Tony and I had been so worried."

As the EMT's carried Tony out of the elevator and placed him onto a gurney, Gibbs stated, "You're going to the ER with him to be checked out."

"I'm okay." Ziva insisted.

"And, to keep an eye on him for me." Gibbs said.

Ziva looked at Gibbs and nodded in the affirmative.

Gibbs turned to the EMT and asked, "How's he doing?"  
"Agent Gibbs, Agent DiNozzo is running a high fever. His blood pressure is elevated and he isn't getting enough oxygen into his lungs."

The other EMT started an IV line and administered fluids while the third placed an oxygen mask over Tony's face.

"Let's move." The third EMT ordered, as they rushed Tony out of the building to a waiting ambulance. Gibbs and Ziva followed.

"Go with him," Gibbs helped Ziva into the ambulance.

"I'll call you as soon as there is any news."

"Get yourself checked out, Ziva. That's on order."

The ambulance doors closed before Ziva could reply. She looked out the window at Gibbs and saw the worry he had masked so well, flood his eyes. That scared her. Then she turned her attention back to Tony.

_What could be wrong with you? Did you have internal injuries that we were not aware of? How could I not have known that you were not okay? Had making love hurt you in some way? _These and many other questions whirled in Ziva's head. She was shaky, thirsty and had a headache. But more than that she was worried and terrified that something was seriously wrong with Tony and there was nothing she could do to help him.

The EMT took Tony's vitals again.

"What's wrong with him?" Ziva asked.

"Can't say, mam. He is weak, dehydrated and running a high fever. His breathing is also laboured and he is non-responsive. At this stage he could have an infection, internal injuries or both. The sooner we get him to the ER, the better."

"It's something bad." Ziva whispered, as she rubbed her fingertips against her head.

The EMT looked at her and asked, "Mam, we can't think that way. His young and strong and he will be okay. Right now, I'm concerned about you. How are you feeling?"

He lifted her hair at the side of her head.

"I'm okay." Ziva winced as the dried blood on her forehead caused her hair to pull.

"That's good. But I'd like to clean that up for you. And check you vitals. We don't want you to get any infections or develop any other conditions later today." He said.

Ziva let the EMT do what he wanted to, to her. He spoke continuously, but Ziva blocked out his words. She was exhausted and her mounting fear for Tony made her head ache more.

She watched Tony, taking in his pale face, trembling lips and still body. So still now, so different from the vibrant, sexy, aroused man who had make such exquisite love to her only a few hours earlier.

She reached out, took his hand into hers and squeezed it lightly.

"Come on Tony." She prayed, tears in her eyes…

…

_Author's Note:_

_Let me know what you think…. And if you like the direction the story is going in…._


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note:_

_Thank you for all the reviews for this story…_

_I'm so happy that you are enjoying it. I am too._

_**I wish you all a fantastic New Year…. And am looking forward to writing more regularly in 2013…**_

_Here's the next chapter… Read, Enjoy and Review please:_

Gibbs was furious as he worked with other NCIS staff to clear walkways and to help those who were trapped and injured get out of the damaged building. His mind reran the images of McGee with shattered glass protruding from his side, Abby's grunt eyes as she sat crouched over, blood dotting her face, Ziva shaken and delicate as she leaned into his embrace and DiNozzo, unconscious, barely breathing.

Harper Daring had made this personal now. He had come after Gibbs' family and no one came after his family and got away with it. _You're a dead man Daring. I'm coming for you._

"Gibbs."

"Director?" Gibbs turned to Leon. The look on his face made Gibbs tense.

"I've just had a call from Mr Palmer."

"And?"

"Dr Mallard suffered a heart attack after the wedding and is being treated at a NHS Naval Hospital." Gibbs closed his eyes, his frustration and anger mounting. This was the last thing he expected to hear. He had been relieved earlier thinking that Ducky and Jimmy were safe.

"How bad is it?"

"I don't know, but Mr Palmer will call in with news as soon as there is any." Leon said concern and frustration mirrored in his voice.

"I'm leaving. Don't ask for details." Gibbs stated. "That way you won't be implicated in what I do."

"Gibbs," Leon grabbed Gibbs' arm to stop him from storming off. "This is a SecNav, FBI and NCIS joint op now. We are to proceed with extreme prejudice against Daring and without giving him another opportunity to kill more NCIS agents."

"No problem." Gibbs stated coldly.

"SecNav's ordered the FBI to take the lead in this."

"What…" Gibbs shouted.

"And I agree."

"Leon, that bastard got to us in our own back yard."

"Don't you think I know that? He used me to hurt my own people." Leon took a harsh breathe. "Your team's been hurt and they need you. See to them… first." Leon stated. "Then we'll go after that bastard Daring," Leon said as he turned away and exited the building.

_That's exactly who I'm thinking about Leon. My family. _

Gibbs exited the building, got into his car and left the Navy yard.

Tony was shaking and his breath was shallow and wheezing. He was restless and moaned out in breathless gasps.

"What's happening? Is he in pain?" Ziva asked the EMT as the ambulance raced to the hospital.

"He's trying to wake up and it may just be the pain that's forcing him to the surface."

"That's good right?"

"Yes." The EMT said.

"But?" Ziva knew there was more he wanted to say.

"Do you know how long he was unconscious?"

"When the elevator first dropped, both of us were knocked out. I awake first. Tony was unconscious for another 15 minutes or so. Why?"

"He likely has a severe concussion and that could be why his struggling to wake up."

"And?" Ziva pushed, when the EMT adjusted Tony's oxygen levels.

"Has he had any chest infections in the recent past?"

"He was infected with …" Ziva felt a wave of intense nausea roll through her stomach.

"Mam, are you okay?" The EMT took her wrist and monitored her pulse.

"Yes," Ziva withdrew her wrist and said, "He was infected with a synthetic version of pneumonic plague a few years ago and his lungs were scarred. But his been fine since then. Could that still be a factor after all these years?" Ziva shivered not wanting to face the possibility of just how bad Tony's condition was.

"His having serious breathing difficulties and that coupled with his state of unconsciousness, has just elevated his condition to critical."

Ziva closed her eyes and let the lone tear roll down her cheek.

_Oh Tony._

The EMT radioed Tony's vitals to the ER and told them about the previous lung damage and concussion. The nurse on the other end stated that they would have Isolation Room A3 prepped to receive Tony.

"An isolation room!?" Ziva asked.

"Yes, Mam, to prevent Agent DiNozzo from contracting any other infections that could worsen his condition," he said.

When they arrived at the hospital, Tony was rushed to one end of the ER and the EMT took Ziva to the opposite end.

"I want to go with him." Ziva insisted.

"Please Mam; let the ER Doc look you over first." The EMT insisted.

"But."

"Agent David, please take a seat on this bed. Dr Murray will be with you in a moment." A nurse took Ziva's hand and drew her to the bed. She was exhausted as she lay back on the bed and let the nurse work on her.

_Tony, oh my God. This can't be happening. Not now when we've finally … …_

At the other end of the ER, in an isolation ward, Tony's clothes were cut away from his shivering body. His lips were tinged blue and his face was wet with cold sweat. Doctors and nurses wore insolation suits as they worked on him, shouting orders, poking and prodding him.

"Get me a CBC and order a head, neck and chest CT stat." One doctor shouted.

Tony coughed violently at that moment. It was a dry hash, gasping cough and it lasted a few moments. A nurse supported him as the doctors continued shouting out orders. Tony didn't respond to any of the questions the nurse asked him. His eyes fluttered open but he didn't focus on anything in particular. He was delirious, fighting an overwhelming pressure in his chest and the pounding ache at the base of his skull. The rest of his body pulsed in waves of pain flowing away and then back to him.

_Could this be hell? _

A stray thought bubbled into his conscious awareness and was gone almost instantly as he sunk back into a pain fill nightmare.

"His chest's crackling and churning. Fluid's building up in there." A doctor stated.

"Pupils are dilated and non-responsive." Another stated.

"His fever's spiking doctor." The nurse stated as she held the pulse oximetry sensor against his finger. "O2 saturation levels are dropping."

"Administer 1 G. Ofirmev via IV, no more until we know how bad his concussion is. And increase his O2 supply and get me an arterial blood G. stat." the doctor ordered

"Prep him for a thoracentesis," another doctor instructed.

"We've got to stabilise him first." The first doctor replied.

Tony was racked by another major coughing fit. His complexion became ashen despite his face being wet with sweat. His body shook and shivered as he moaned out in agony.

_This is hell…_

_I'm dead…_

_Or dying_…

_Ziva…_

An image of her filled his mind.

_I'll miss you…_

And then the coughing got worst.

_My chest… _

_I can't… _

_I can't… breathe…_

"He's seizing!" the nurse shouted.

_Author's Note:_

_That's it for this chapter…_

_Let me know your thoughts…_

_Thank you._


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note:**_

_**Thank you for all the reviews for this story… I loved reading them.**_

_**Here's the next chapter… Read, Enjoy and Review please:**_

Tony jerked and stiffened violently as the seizure rocked through his defenceless body. The nurses held and supported him as the Doctors worked to prevent him from injuring himself. Tony's eyes seemed to be fixed on a spot on the ceiling and his jaw was as tense as a steel bar.

"History of epilepsy?" a doctor demanded.

"No." the nurse stated.

"Any neurological disturbances or family history of such?"

"None noted in his file."

"Get an Epilim line going stat." The doctor ordered.

Another nurse set up the new IV line in Tony's neck and the doctor administered the Epilim via a 50ml saline bag.

Tony's body stiffened further.

10 seconds ticked by.

Then his body slumped and his eyes rolled back in his head and it seemed as if all breathe had left his chest.

Gibbs drove around the Navy yard and thought about everything that had happened prior to the explosion. He wondered what he had missed and how had he missed it. He had not expected Daring to target them on their own turf. What would Daring's next move be?

Damnit, he wanted to go after Daring now before he had a chance to do anything else. But Leon had pushed the breaks on that. Maybe Leon was right. Maybe Gibbs should check up on his team. He couldn't believe that almost his entire team was in a hospital somewhere. Tony and Ducky were no doubt in critical condition. Tim and Ziva would be okay, physically. Emotionally, they would need time. They were close knit team, a family and when one was hurt the rest would feel the pain too.

Jethro parked his car in the Navy yard and headed toward the damaged NCIS building. As he walked he admitted that he was hurting big time. He just didn't know how to express what he felt and share his emotions with those he cared about. He always needed to be the strong one, the one making the decisions, the one taking care of the rest of the team in a rough, authoritarian way.

And now he could be on the brink of losing a close and special friend of many years and a young man whom he considered the son he had never had.

Damnit, he hated facing his emotions. It had always been easier to just go on autopilot and get things done, mechanically and systematically.

That's why going after Daring right now felt like the right thing to do.

Gibbs turned back to the parking lot, the decision to ignore Leon's orders already taken. He was going to find and kill Harper Daring before the end of the day.

But then he found Fornell walking towards him.

"Jethro." Fornell greeted.

"Fornell." Gibbs greeted.

"You're not planning to go after Daring all by yourself now, are you?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"No, but then again I know you better than most."

"So, now what? You going to join me or do I have to give you the slip?"

"Oh, I'm going to join you, just not right now."

"Fornell, he attacked my family." Gibbs growled.

"I know, and I promise you, I'm going to help you hunt down that bastard. And I'll give you the pleasure of blowing him away."

The two men looked at each other for a long moment. Gibbs took a deep breath and nodded imperceptibly.

"Other than that, are you okay?" Fornell asked, his eyes taking in Gibbs' dusty clothes and plasters at the side of his head.

"Yeah."

"And the rest of your team?"

"They're at the ER with various injuries. Tim and Ziva should be fine. Ducky had a heart attack and we're still waiting for an update on him."

"I'm sorry Jethro. I didn't know about Dr Mallard." Fornell placed a supportive hand on Gibb's arm. "How's DiNozzo?"

"DiNozzo' s the one I'm worried about."

"DiNozzo' s young and strong. He'll be okay. He's always made it through other situations, some much worse than this."

"Yeah, but this time he was taken out of here unconscious and unresponsive." Gibbs stated his hands fisted.

"You have to believe it's going to be okay, Jethro." Fornell stated.

When Gibbs didn't respond, Fornell just patted his arm again.

"Come on Jethro, let's get you home so you can shower and change. Then we'll grab a bite to eat on the way to the hospital." Fornell said as he turned to walk to his car.

Gibbs shook his head, wondering how he and Fornell had managed to become friends. But he was grateful about it.

"You coming?" Fornell asked, turning back to look at Gibbs.

"Yeah." Gibbs nodded in thanks before walking up to Fornell's car and getting in. He leaned his head back, both because he was tired and had a headache and because he didn't want to talk. He wanted to think. To think about Harper Daring and to picture what he was going to do to the man when he finally caught up to him.

Fornell gave Gibbs the space he needed, understanding the toll this situation was taking on his friend.

In the ER, Ziva asked the nurse again, "How's Agent DiNozzo doing?"

"I will check in on him shortly and let you know." The nurse replied.

"You said that 5 minutes ago. Leave me and go and check on him, now. Or I'm going to do it myself." Ziva raised her voice.

"Agent David, please calm down. Our best doctors are working on your friend and I have asked the workstation to page me the minute they have any information about him. Right now, I want to clean your head wound and get you a gown."

"A gown, what for?"

"Didn't Doctor Jonas tell you that you would be staying at least overnight for observation? That is standard procedure for all head injury patients."

"I am not staying overnight." Ziva responded.

"Do you have someone staying with you or someone who can come over?"

"No. I live alone." Ziva stated. Her headache was getting a headache with all the stupid questions the nurse was asking. "Can you please just go and check on my partner, Agent DiNozzo."

"Yes, I will as soon as I get you cleaned up and settled in a room. Do you wish to waste more time or can I get on with it."

Ziva scowled in anger and stated, "Do what you need to."

The nurse cleaned the wound, making it sting and burn, she placed a dressing over it. Then she got an IV line going.

"What's this for?" Ziva demanded.

"You're dehydrated, exhausted and have a headache the size of Texas. This IV line will replenish your mineral and salt levels and I will be able to give you pain meds and anti-inflammatory meds via this line. Now I'm going to get a gown for you and I will confirm which ward you will be moving into. Stay put Agent David. I will try to get an update on your friend too."

"I don't need a gown. I'm not staying."

"Yes, you are so best you get used to the idea."

"But."

"Please understand that you can't be left alone for the next 24 hours in case there are any complications from your head wound. Now stay put on this bed while I get an update on your friend." The nurse ordered as she left Ziva in the cubicle.

Ziva closed her eyes. Yes she was tired and yes she was worried and a little terrified about Tony.

_He will be okay. He has to be._

_But what if he isn't?_

_Oh Tony, you have to be okay._

_I can't lose another person I love._

The nurse returned with the promised gown in hand.

"How is he?" Ziva sat up and wiped her eyes.

"Ziva, I couldn't get much information. All I know is that he is in a very critical state and our doctors are working on him to stabilise his condition."

Ziva pressed her hands to her head and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Let's get you changed and settled." The nurse stated as she shook out the gown and laid it on the bed next to Ziva.

"Can I have a shower before changing into that? Ziva asked her voice flat.

"Sure. Why don't you lie back and I'll wheel you up to your room. I believe another NCIS Agent is in that ward currently. Agent McGee. Do you know him?"

"Yes! He's on my team too. How is he?"

"He is a very lucky man. He had a shard of glass stuck in his side. Had it been even a half an inch deeper it would have pierced his spleen and he could have been in serious danger then."

_Like Tony is now._ Ziva thought as her nurse wheeled her out of the ER and to a ward on the 3rd floor.

_**Author's Note:**_

_**Sorry for the cliffhanger… but I just couldn't resist…**_

_**Thank you for reading and please review soon...**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Author's Note:**_

_Thank you so much for all the reviews, alerts and favourites._

_I'm loving this story and am thrilled that you are too._

_Below find the next chapter…. Enjoy and Review soon._

…

Tony felt as if he was stuck in a slab of concrete, unable to move, unable to breathe. Time seemed to stand still and the noise in his ears threatened to split his eardrums.

He was suffocating.

He was dying.

_He didn't want to die._

A shock of sensory awareness raced through his body, jerking his head up, blowing his eyes open and forcing his chest to inflate with a ragged, gasping breathe.

_What …_

_Where …_

Tony gasped breathe after breathe. He just couldn't seem to get enough air into his lungs. His body, every inch of it, ached. His mind was a jumble of utter confusion. Images flashed through his mind's eye.

Gibbs barking orders…

Ziva, naked in his arms…

_What the hell…_

The only thing that was clear to Tony was that nothing was clear.

He was lost, alone and in agony.

His body was not his to control and his thoughts made no sense at all.

_Make it stop… _He felt hot tears roll down the side of his face.

He was alone.

No Gibbs.

No Ziva.

No Abby.

No Ducky.

No one was with him…

_Where are you…_

_I need you…_

_Ziva… _

_Boss…_

_Help me!_

Then he started to make sense of the sounds around him.

"Thank God that's over." One nurse stated.

"His got a long way to go yet." Another nurse started as they worked on Tony. "Agent DiNozzo, can you hear me?"

"He's BP's 142 over 95, temp's at 40.1 and pulse is 125." The first nurse said.

Tony took another ragged breathe and coughed. He blinked rapidly, struggling to keep his eyes open. His vision was blurred and the lights were blinding. He was taking deeper breathes now, and this irritated his chest, making his cough repeatedly.

"He's coming out of it now, his vitals should stabilise some." The second nurse stated as she wiped Tony's face with a soft cloth. The other nurse wiped down his body. It was sleek with sweat and some muscles in his legs, arms and abdomen still jerked and pulsed. He was shivering again and his eyes fluttered open and snapped shut again.

"Agent DiNozzo, can you hear me?" the nurse repeated close to his ear. But he was confused, cold and his chest hurt so bad, that he couldn't respond to her.

_I want Ziva…_

_Where is she…_

"Everything's going to be okay Agent DiNozzo. You had a fever induced seizure." The nurse said. "Can you feel my hand in yours?"

Tony tried to focus on what she was saying.

_A seizure? _

_Me…_

_How…_

He felt her hand in his but he couldn't respond.

_I want Ziva…_

His tongue was dry and seemed to be stuck to the roof of his mouth. His body was heavy, weighing him down and he felt so weak and disorientated. His limbs didn't work as they should have and he was afraid that this meant worse things were to come.

God he had never felt so much pain.

_This is hell,_ he moaned in agony.

His mind centred on one thought, _I am alone._

_No one cares about me enough to watch me die. _

_I am alone._

_I don't want to die…_

"Agent DiNozzo?" the nurse questioned.

Tony's eyes flashed open and he glimpsed the nurse's frowning face. _Ziva…?_ His eyes fell closed and he was once more lost in the ever present confusion and the pulsing pain.

"He's none responsive Doctor." The nurse stated, still running the cloth over his skin.

"Get me a cranial MRI with the CT scans. I want him observed 24/7. I want to ensure that there isn't a physical or neurological cause for his seizure."

"Will do Doctor."

"We've got him a bed in the ISO-ICU ward." Another nurse stated.

"No sedation, no pain meds. Keep him on fluids and Ofirmev 1G every 2 hours. Call me immediately if he has another episode. We'll make a call on his treatment plan once all his test results are in." The doctor ordered.

"Okay Doctor. By the way, his partner's in the ER with a head injury. She wants to see him. What should we tell her?" the nurse asked.

"He is in a critical condition and not allowed any visitors. We are doing all we can to stabilise him." The doctor stated as he left the room.

The nurses spoke amongst themselves, discussing Tony's condition. They got the ER pathologists to draw blood for all the tests ordered. A nasal canula replaced the oxygen mask on Tony's face. A nurse talked to Tony as the others worked on him. He didn't respond, only coughed and took shallow, painful breathes. He cried out and twitched violently when a nurse inserted a catheter. But the relief as his bladder emptied was almost enough to make him pass out.

The nurses covered Tony's shivering and still twitching body with a light sheet. They enclosed him in an isolation curtain and rushed out of the ER. Through all the chaos and noise around him Tony felt like an invisible observer. He was so tired and so sore. And he was all alone.

_I'm alone…_

_Why? _

_Where is everyone? _

He suddenly felt an intense sense of abandonment, of betrayal.

_Where are they? _

He couldn't remember what had happened.

_They left me to face this alone…_

He became unbearably angry.

This led to a coughing fit of mega proportions that made him feel as if his insides would be exiting his body via his mouth. The nurses helped him turn to his side and one rubbed his back as he coughed and coughed.

"It will pass soon, Agent DiNozzo. Just take shallow breathes and don't worry. We've got you. You're going to be okay." A nurse encouraged as the cough took its toll and left Tony trembling in agony.

A stray thought occurred to him, of him making love to Ziva.

Her whispered words, _"I love you,"_ burned in his memory.

_Ziva, where are you? _

Hurt of a different kind rippled through is consciousness.

_If you loved me, _

Anger mounted again and his body tightened.

_YOU would be here, with me!_

He started coughing again.

Then another thought materialised.

_What about you, Boss? _

_I was at your side more times than I can remember._

_How come you're not here to take care of me?_

_You're a damn bastard, Gibbs!_

_No, both you and Ziva are…_

_You're selfish, heartless bastards…_

Tony felt all twisted up inside. He was so angry and so hurt. He didn't understand what had happened and how things could have turned so bad.

_It serves me right…_ he coughed.

_Hell, how can they be there for me… _He choked, gasping for air.

_When they weren't there for their own families… their own flesh and blood?_

…_.._

When Ziva arrived in the ward, she found McGee asleep. She was glad to see that he was okay.

The nurse helped Ziva to the bathroom and stayed outside the door while Ziva took a bath. As she washed the dirt and grime off her body, she remembered every touch and caress she had shared with Tony. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she relived the moments of being intimately and totally at one with Tony. She regretted waiting so long to take that step, to admit her feelings and to make love to him. But she would make up for it. And Tony would make it through this, because she needed him.

"Ziva, are you okay?" the nurse asked from outside the bathroom door.

Ziva responded by turning off the water and grabbing a towel. She dried herself, her body warm and fresh from the bath and from her memories. She pulled on the thin cotton hospital gown, tied it in the front and left the bathroom. The nurse got her settled in the bed and told her to rest.

"How is my partner doing?" Ziva asked, grabbing the nurse's arm.

"He has been moved to the ICU. The doctors have requested a lot of tests…"

"I want to see him." Ziva interrupted and stated getting out of the bed.

"No, Ziva. I'm sorry but his doctors have forbidden any visitors. Aside from the fact that he needs rest, there is a risk of infection and his body has been through a lot already. He is in an isolation unit with a strictly controlled environment."

"But I just want to see him."

"I'm sorry but it's not possible." The nurse said pushing Ziva back against the pillow. "Maybe you'll be able to see him in a day or two if his condition improves."

Ziva's head was pounding. She processed what the nurse had revealed about Tony's condition and admitted how afraid she was. _His condition __**will**__ improve_.

_Tony, Damnit. _

_If you let yourself die I will …_

_I will…_

She brushed the tears away from her face and looked away.

…_.._

Gibbs and Fornell arrived at the hospital just as the sun was setting.

"I'll get an update on Daring while you check in with your team." Fornell stated.

Gibbs headed over to the inquiries desk and was told where Ziva and McGee were. When he asked about Tony, the nurse said that he was in isolation and not allowed any visitors. Gibbs' blood ran cold.

_Just how bad is this going to be?_

"I want to speak to his doctor, now." Gibbs demanded.

"I will page him for you, Agent Gibbs, but he is busy in the trauma unit and may not be available for a while yet."

"Then get me someone else who can give me details about my agent's condition." Gibbs slammed his hand on the desk. The nurse took a step backwards and a security guard moved forward.

"Sorry about that miss." Fornell stated as he came up to the desk. "Agent Gibbs is just worried. Will you give him or me a call as soon as one of the doctor is available to speak to us. We will check in on his other agents in the meantime."

Gibbs glared at Fornell, but walked with him to the elevator.

"Easy, Jethro." Fornell said.

"Don't." Gibbs warned.

"If you want to get yourself barred from entering this hospital, go right ahead and make a scene."

"Shut up, Fornell."

When they arrived at the ward, they found Ziva and McGee talking.

"Boss, Agent Fornell." McGee stated, sitting up and grimacing. Fornell nodded and moved to the side of the room.

"You okay, Tim." Gibbs patted his cheek.

"Yes. I still can't believe that I didn't feel any pain initially."

"It was the shock." Gibbs replied. "I'm glad you're okay."

Fornell looked up at that. _Well done, Jethro._

"Thanks Boss." McGee replied in surprise.

Gibbs turned to Ziva next. She looked angry and tense.

"Ziva," He went over to her and gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"They won't let me see Tony." She replied.

Gibbs suppressed his own worry and anger over that and said, "They're taking care of DiNozzo. Let them do their job."

"Did they let you see him?" Ziva demanded. "Is he okay? Is he conscious? What's wrong with him?"

"Shh, Ziva." Gibbs took her into his arms as tears glistened in her eyes. "He will be okay. You hear me? He will make it through this."

Gibbs said it with such calm conviction that Ziva relaxed against him and returned his embrace.

"I'm okay, Gibbs." Ziva whispered as she withdrew from his embrace.

"Good. I want you two to focus on getting well."

"What about Daring?" Ziva asked.

"Fornell and I will handle Daring." Gibbs replied.

"So this is a joint operation now." McGee said it for his own benefit.

"This is a priority case and has multiple agencies involved." Fornell said.

"Daring has to be stopped, Gibbs. I don't think his done with us." Ziva said.

"Neither do I Ziva." Gibbs replied.

And that was what worried Gibbs the most. What would Daring's next move be? Where was he planning to strike and who would be his next victim?

Fornell's phone rang and he left the room to answer it. He returned a minute later and said, "We need to go Jethro. We've got a lead on Daring."

"Be careful out there, Boss." McGee said as Gibbs headed out the door.

"Always am." Gibbs replied.

A few moments later Ziva sat up and looked at McGee. "I can't sit around doing nothing."

"I know what you mean." McGee replied. "Maybe…"

"Maybe what, McGee?"

"Maybe Abby can bring over a few things and we can start working the case."

"Do it."

"Gibbs might object."

"McGee, just do it. Please."

Ziva needed to focus on something other than Tony and how much she wanted to be with him. Her fear for him was as intense as her hatred for Daring. She would channel all her emotions into finding Daring and making sure he paid for what he had done to Tony.

…

_**Author's Note:**_

_That's it for this Chapter…_

_Let me know your thoughts…. Thanks…_


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note :**

Thank you so much for reading and reviewing and I am so sorry for the long delay in updating this story….

But here's the next chapter…. Enjoy….

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx**

Gibbs felt a storm of emotions brewing within him.

He wanted to see Tony, to reassure him, to make it clear to him that he'd better pull himself together and get back on his feet, because Gibbs wouldn't tolerate him being off the clock for too long. He wanted Tony to know that he was here for him and would always be here for him. He wanted to thank him to taking care of Ziva. He wanted to …. But hell the case came first and getting to Daring before he hurt anyone else was a priority.

So Gibbs straightened his back and pushed his concerns for Tony aside as he and Fornell made their way to the car.

"Where is he?" Gibbs asked as Fornell turned towards the freeway.

"Daring was spotted at a service station on the outskirts of town. It appears that he may have excess to an abandoned farmhouse a few miles away. Apparently it belonged to one of his subsidiaries in the late 80's."

"Sounds like a good place to lay low, make explosives and plan his next sneak attack."

"Yip." Fornell replied. "What do you suppose his next target will be?"

"His made this personal and I don't think his done with us yet." Gibbs stated.

"My thinking exactly, but we won't let him get any closer than he already has."

"No, we won't."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx**

Ziva's head throbbed as she paced the ward.

"Ziva, please sit down. You're making me nauseous." McGee complained.

"Sorry McGee." Ziva said as she forced herself back to her bed and sat down.

"Tony's going to be okay, you know." McGee stated.

"I don't know McGee. He was struggling to breathe the last time I saw him." Ziva whispered as the door to their room swung open.

"Ziva." Abby shouted as she wrapped her arms around Ziva. "Are you okay? I have been so worried. Oh McGee and you? How are you?" Abby hugged him tightly and McGee winced.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm just so glad to see you two. It's been so scary wondering if you were okay. And then hearing about Ducky's cardiac attack and Jimmy cancelling his honeymoon to stay with him…"

"What?" McGee gasped.

"Dr. Mallard had a heart attack." Ziva asked.

"Oh jeez, I should not have shocked you like this. Sorry, sorry."

"Is Ducky okay?" McGee asked.

"Abby, calm down and tell us what happened." Ziva demanded, holding Abby's hands in her own.

"Ducky was found unconscious on the beach after the wedding. We're just lucky Jimmy realized he was missing else he could have been dragged out to sea at high tide."

"Abby!" Ziva's impatience got Abby to focus again.

"He was rushed to the ER and Jimmy stayed at his side all the time. Jimmy called Director Vance when he could reach any of us."

"Is Ducky okay?" McGee asked.

"Jimmy said that he is in a critical but stable condition at the moment and the doctors are running all kinds of tests."

"This is terrible." McGee stated, nausea assaulting him again.

"Yeh, this is bad karma or something. I need to do a full cleansing ceremony for all of us to get rid of the bad spirits that seem to be hounding us."

"Abby…" Ziva tried to interrupt.

"I'll get my friend, Black Hawk from the Lakota tribe to prepare the ceremony for us. I mean it's unfathomable that so many of us got hurt and that Ducky would have a heart attack at this same time."

"Why didn't Boss tell us about Ducky?" McGee asked.

"He has a lot on his mind, McGee." Abby replied. "He has been so worried about all of you and me and Ducky. And Tony…"

_Tony… _Ziva's thoughts returned to what they had shared in the elevator. She wrapped her gown tightly around her body and moved to the door.

"Where are you going?" McGee asked sitting forward in the bed.

"To check on Tony." Ziva replied. _And no one is going to stop me this time._

"McGee I'm going with her."

"No Abs, I think she needs to be alone for a while."

"Why?"

"She is really worried about Tony."

"We all are, McGee."

"I know we all are. But Ziva is almost afraid and that is something I have never seen in her before."

"Oh McGee." Abby hugged him. "What are we going to do?"

"We can focus on the case, like Boss is." McGee stated as he indicated that Abby pass him his laptop.

"You're right. Let's get that evil man."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx**

Ziva made her way to the Isolation ICU Ward. She moved quickly and quietly. Fear, anticipation and tender emotions of affection pulsed through her veins. She wanted to tell Tony so many things but she dreaded she had waited too long.

Would tony recover?

Would he remember what they'd shared?

Would he want to pursue what started in the elevator?

She slipped into the Isolation ICU ward unnoticed.

Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at Tony through the clear glass that formed the walled of his room and encapsulated him. He was hooked up to monitors and IV lines.

He was still and looked pale.

_Tony…_ Ziva whispered stepping close to the glass.

She wanted to touch him to let him know she was close, but she wouldn't risk him catching an infection. She walked around the glass walls and watched for any sign of awareness. But Tony remained still, his chest moving with shallow breathes.

_I wish I could just touch you, only for a second, to feel your skin under my fingertips. _

Tears streamed down her face now. She leaned forward, pressing her aching head against the cold glass. She felt so helpless in that moment. There was nothing she could do… but wait. She watched Tony for a few moments and as she turned to move to the other side of the glass wall, she noticed a telephone line. She lifted the receiver and blinked as she heard the sounds of the monitors beeping and wailing.

"Tony…" She whispered.

She could hear his faint breathes. She cleared her throat, wiped away her tears and repeated, "Tony…"

He did not respond in any way. But that was okay with Ziva. She could communicate with him and she wanted her voice to bathe him in comfort, care and love.

"Tony… You're going to be okay."

"I don't want you to worry about anything."

"I will take care of whatever you need."

"I want you to know that I … love you."

"I love you Anthony DiNozzo…"

"I love your occasional childish behavior and constant movie references."

"You make me feel so good when you get overly inquisitive about my private life…"

"I want you to be a part of that private life…"

"Please Tony, please give me a sign that you can hear me…"

"Oh how I wish I could hold you…"

Tears rolled down her cheeks again and she let them. She took a shaky breathe and started singing in Hebrew. She watched Tony all the time, singing and listening to his breathing.

The door to the Isolation ICU ward opened suddenly.

"Excuse me Miss, but you're not supposed to be in here." The nurse said in a cheeky voice. Ziva hung up the phone and said, "I needed to see him."

"Look here miss, he is not allowed any visitor, so you'd better come with me now." The nurse took Ziva by the arm and proceeded to lead her out of the ward.

"Can you at least tell me how serious his condition is." Ziva demanded.

"No I can't. Now please make your way to your room or do I have to get security to escort you." The nurse would not budge and Ziva's head was throbbing incessantly now so she pulled back and made her way to the elevators.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx**

"_Tony… … okay."_

Tony strained to hear.

"_I will… care ..." Who is that? _

Tony wondered. _What are they saying?_

"_I … know … love you." _

_Ziva? _Tony wondered. _Why are you so far away?_

" … _you Anthony… " _

_What the hell are you saying? _Tony felt frustrated, trapped and confused.

"… _your… childish behave… movie ref…." _

_Yeh Ziva, I know you think I'm childish and you hate my movie references. _

"_You make me feel … …" _

_Feel what? Tell me? Stop playing these games. _Tony couldn't make any sense of what was being said.

"_I want you … private life…" _

_You want me? What?_

"… _Tony, please give me a sign …" _

_A sign of what? _Tony felt agitated. _What the hell do you want from me, Ziva._

"… _hold you…" _

_What? I don't understand._

_You're driving me crazy. Just tell me what the hell you want or leave me alone._

Tony heard nothing more.

_Ziva? _

He strained to hear but she was gone. A coldness settled within him.

_You left me … again…_

_Damn you Ziva…._

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx**

Author's Note :

That's it for this chapter…

I hope you enjoyed it…

The next sees Gibbs and Fornell on the case and more of Ziva and Tony…

Please review and let me know your thoughts…


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's Note: **_

_**Thank you so much for all the reviews, and favourites and followers of this story….**_

_**Here's the next chapter, Enjoy and let me know your thoughts….**_

. .xxxxxxxxxx. .

Gibbs, Fornell and a number of agents from NCIS, the FBI and Homeland Security approached the farm house on foot, hidden by the overgrown foliage.

Gibbs scanned the farmhouse, taking in the number of windows and doors in the front as well as the possible positions from which Daring could attack.

Moving closer to the house, Fornell gave the rest of the team permission to open fire. They were under the president's orders to handle this matter with extreme prejudice and that's what Fornell was doing.

Bullets ripped the neat, quiet farmhouse to shreds. The cacophony of sounds was deafening. Broken glass and chipped wood ricocheted through the air. All the agents moved in closer to the house, continuing to fire their weapons.

At the same time Gibbs felt as if he were being watched. He took a step back and turned around. The glint of glass in the bright sun light caught his eye. He squinted to see the object better, but it movement. Then he saw him. Daring was running through the bushes away from the how.

Fornell and the rest of the agents were still moving closer to the farmhouse, shooting it up.

"Get back!" Gibbs shouted, turning back to face the farmhouse. "It's a trap!"

He was a nanosecond too late.

The entire farmhouse exploded in front of him, the shock wave throwing him, Fornell and the rest of the agents through the air with devastating force.

. .xxxxxxxxxx. .

Back at the hospital, McGee and Abby ran traces on a number of burn phones they suspected Daring had used. They also tracked his bank accounts making a note of anyone he had paid substantial amounts of money to in the last few years. They located Daring's ex-wife and decided to contact her to get more information.

Ziva remained quiet during all the time McGee and Abby kept up a running commentary of what they were doing.

Abby made eye contact with McGee at one point and nodded her head to the door.

"I think I'll go for a walk. I need to stretch my legs." McGee said. "Can I get you two anything from the cafeteria on my way back?"

"A Caf-Pow for me. Thanks McGee." Abby replied.

"Nothing." Ziva stated.

As soon as McGee was out of the room, Abby moved to sit on Ziva's bed. She turned Ziva's face towards hers.

"Oh Ziva." Abby hugged her. "Tony's going to be okay."

Ziva didn't hug Abby back but she accepted Abby's embrace.

"Ziva, tell me. Please."

Ziva pulled back and looked at Abby self-consciously. "Tell you what, Abby?"

"Tell me if something happened between you and Tony in the elevator."

Ziva's blush rose up her cheeks into her hairline. "Abby, I don't want to talk about it."

"I knew it. Ziva I'm glad you two finally got it together. I've seen your feeling for each other blossoming over the last 2 years and have been losing patience while waiting for you two to finally admit that you really, really like each other. Maybe you even … love … each … other?"

"Has it been that obvious Abby?" Ziva asked in surprise and finally relieved to be able to share her feelings with someone.

"It has to me. I've known Tony for a very long time and I've never seen him so taken by anyone. You make him smile. You challenge him. You understand him. And you accept him just as he is."

Ziva closed her eyes as she listened. Abby was right. Abby seemed to know more about her then she seemed to.

"You're good for him. You are _Yin _to his _Yang._ Ziva you are the strongest woman I know and Tony knows it too. He is crazy about you and afraid of you at the same time."

"Do you think so Abby?" Ziva asked.

"Yes, I know so." Abby insisted. "So did some_thing_ happen while you were in the elevator?"

"Abby…" Ziva stated not really wanting to share her intimate details with Abby just yet.

"Oh, please tell me Tony at least kissed you." Abby asked hopefully just as McGee returned to the room.

"Oh, do you need a few more minutes?" McGee asked mulling over Abby's question and Ziva's expression.

"No McGee." Ziva stated turning to him and totally ignoring Abby's question. "Let's get back onto the case."

Later that afternoon, the doctor came to check in on them.

"Both of you will be discharged tomorrow morning. Ms Scuito will you be able to take them home."

Abby nodded her head smiling at McGee and then at Ziva.

"As explained, Ms David," the doctor continued, "you need to stay with family or friends for the next few days due to the concussion."

"Doctor, do you have an update on Agent DiNozzo?" Ziva asked.

"Yes I do," The doctor replied.

Ziva, Abby and McGee waited in anticipation for him to continue.

. .xxxxxxxxxx. .

_**Author's Note:**_

_**That's it for this chapter…**_

_**Let me know your thoughts.**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Author's Note: **_

_**Thank you so much for all the reviews, and favourites and followers of this story….**_

_**Here's the next chapter, Enjoy and let me know your thoughts….**_

...xxxxxxxx…

Tony awoke to the sound of a female voice.

"There we go Agent DiNozzo. I hope you will feel more comfortable now. At last we can start giving you meds to treat your condition. I'll be here with you all night long, taking care of you."

_Ziva? You're not Ziva. I miss you, Ziva…_

Tony took a deep breath and started coughing violently.

"There, there Agent DiNozzo. Take gentle breathes." She said, placing a cool wet cloth against his face and chest. "Your lungs have been through a lot and it is going to take a while for you to recover."

Tony struggled to open his eyes. His throat was raw, his chest tight and incredibly sore, his head pounding. The room was a white blur which hurt his head even more, so he shut his eyes and focused on taking slow breaths.

"That's good. I'm going to lift your head now and give you a little bit of water. Swallow slowly. Okay." She said as she started lifting his head off the pillow. As soon as the moisture hit his tongue he gulped in a breath and started coughing again.

"Slowly, Agent DiNozzo. Slowly." The woman admonished, barely giving him a few drops more.

"That's enough for now. You just lay back and let the medication start taking effect."

The woman placed his head back on the pillow, covered him with a light sheet and continued to chatter as she wiped his face and arms. Thankfully, she dimmed the lights so that they no longer pieced his closed eyes.

Her voice eventually faded and Tony remembered to take slow breaths. He was still in pain but he was also distracted by thoughts and memories.

_The elevator falling…_

_Ziva trapped with him..._

_Ziva kissing him…._

_Making love to Ziva…_

_Had that been real? Had they been intimately together?_

Or was he just fantasizing due to the meds and pain and confusion in his head.

_Where are you … Ziva… ?_

_The elevator falling!_

_Oh my God! Ziva…Are you okay?_

_Is the team okay? Gibbs? McGee?_

_Oh God! Where is everyone?_

Tony started panicking.

"_My team…."_ He gasped between coughing bouts as he tried to sit up.

"Please calm down Agent DiNozzo." The female voice, that of a nurse, insisted, holding him down.

"_Tell …. me…"_ squeezing pain in his chest as he struggled to breath.

"_Argh…..Is.. my… team…" _

"Please Agent DiNozzo. You need to calm down."

"_Okay! Are they… my team …okay…?"_ Tony's body was wrecked by terrible gasping coughs and his head was about ready to explode.

But he had to know if the team was okay.

"Please!" he grasped the nurses arms beseechingly.

"Your team, the other NCIS agents are all fine." The nurse replied. "Agent David and McGee are just fine. And your Boss Agent Gibbs is too. Now, please calm down and I will call one of them for you."

_They're okay…_

_They're okay…._

_God… They're okay!_

Tony nodded, not able to speak due to the coughing. He struggled to catch his breath as the nurse wiped away the sweat from his brow.

"Just relax now. I am going to moisten your lips with a bit of water. Okay." The nurse stated as she did just that.

The water coated his parched tongue but there wasn't enough for him to swallow.

"I am going to call your fellow agents as soon as your vitals are stable and under control. I can't leave your side until then. So it's up to you how soon you will get to see your friends." She admonished.

_Damnit… Just call them already._

"I can see you're getting worked up again. Like I said, the sooner you calm down the sooner your friends can come and see you." The nurse said matter of factly.

_Okay… DiNozzo… She's holding all the cards…._

_And you're pretty beat up right now… pull yourself together…_

_Damnit … _

And Tony started taking slow calming breaths and before he realized it the exhaustion overtook him and he fell asleep.

...xxxxxxxx…

Gibbs awoke suddenly, his ears ringing from the blast. He did a quick physical scan and other then a few cuts and bruises he thought he was okay.

"Fornell." He called out, his voice hoarse and soft.

Lifting his head and was struck by the utter devastation around him. Nothing remained of the Farmhouse. Agents lay scattered across the yard, some crying out, some still – dead!

_Damn you Daring! _Gibbs' blood boiled with anger. He pushed himself to his feet ignoring the blood trickling down the side of his face and the ache in his back.

"Fornell!" He shouted and looked around.

"Here." A faint reply came back. Gibbs horned in on the sound and realized if came from under a pile of splintered wood.

"Hey," Gibbs shouted to the agents closest to him. "Call in the MT's and if you can, help me over here. Agent Fornell's trapped."

Gibbs removed the pieces of wood, quickly while talking to Fornell.

"You hurt?"

"Don't know."

"MT's on the way."

"How did you know it was a trap?"

"My gut and I saw the bastard hightail it out of here before all hell broke loose." Gibbs said as he removed a piece of wood and was now able to see Fornell's face.

"You think you can crawl out of there?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah, just give me a hand."

Gibbs lay down on the ground, reached into the cavity that held Fornell and pulled him by the arms.

Moments later he and Fornell lay on the ground breathing hard.

"You hurt?" Gibbs asked again sitting up and looking over.

"Just a gash on my arm. Nothing that will stop me from hunting that bastard down."

"You and me both." Gibbs replied grimly as he counted the dead all around them.

...xxxxxxxx…

Back at the hospital, Ziva and McGee made a decision and they had cajoled Abby into playing along.

When the nurse arrived to check in on them, Ziva said, "Please get the doctor. We want to leave the hospital right now."

"You can't…" The nurse started saying.

"What Ziva means is, we will be staying with Abby for the next few days," McGee stated.

"Yes, they will be staying with me and if they show any signs of distress I will bring them back to the hospital immediately." Abby stated.

"But…" The nurse stated to speak again.

"Please, get the paperwork ready, quickly." Ziva insisted.

"Yes, please. It's been a long day for us." McGee said, smiling tiredly.

Thirty minutes later, McGee and Ziva were seated in Abby's hearse and on their way not to Abby's place, but to Gibbs' instead.

"We will pick the ex-Mrs Daring up now." Ziva stated.

"Ziva, maybe you should rest tonight." Abby tried to object again.

"No Abby," McGee replied. "We have to work the case. And Daring's ex-wife is the only link we have right now to flush him out."

"Okay. But just remember that Gibbs is going to kill me if anything happens to either one of you." Abby said before taking to chewing on her lower lip.

...xxxxxxxx…


	10. Chapter 10

_Author's Note: _

_Thank you for all the reviews, and favourites and followers of this story…._

_Here's the next chapter, Enjoy and let me know your thoughts…._

...xxxxxxxx…

Ziva and McGee approached the front door of Mrs Daring's current residence cautiously. The sun was already setting and the air was growing cold. Both agents were tired, but neither thought about resting.

The front door opened on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Mrs Daring?" McGee asked.

"Yes, although we are no longer married." She replied.

"I'm Agent David and this is Agent McGee from NCIS. We would like you to come with us to answer a few questions regarding Mr Daring."

"What has he done this time?" Mrs Daring said rolling her eyes.

"We will share the details with you shortly, but we need you to accompany us now." Ziva stated.

"Okay, let me just get my jacket." She said disappearing back into the house. Five minutes later Mrs Daring looked suspiciously at the hearse as she got in.

"Don't mind the hearse, Mrs Daring. We just don't have any other vehicles available as a result of the explosion at the office." Abby said by means of explanation.

"Oh no!" Mrs Daring explained, realizing that this time her ex-husband had gone too far.

Arriving at Gibbs' house, Abby offered to prepare something to eat while McGee and Ziva took Mrs Daring down to the basement.

"As Abby said, we cannot go to the office right now. But this is a safe place for us to have a conversation." Ziva said. McGee cleared a section of Gibbs' work desk and started setting up his laptop and communications.

"I love the smell of sawdust." Mrs Daring stated. "My son, Evan, was fond of woodwork in his youth." She said her eyes closed as she relived the memory of happier times.

"I am sorry for the loss of your son, Mrs Daring." Ziva said.

"As am I. He was an amazing boy and I often wonder what he would have been like, had he been given a chance to life." She said, sadness permeating the air.

"Mrs Daring, have you been in contact with your ex-husband in the last few days?"

"No. He and I live separate lives now. I feel the pain of loss of our son just as he does. I chose therapy and counselling to cover come it. He chose hurting others."

"Do you know where he might be, any places he preferred eating at or having a drink at?"

"No, we have been apart for more the 4 years now. When we parted, he left me the house and most of his estate. He said that nothing mattered to him anymore and he just wanted to join Evan, where ever he may be. But then he turned into a cold, frightening man and we stopped seeing each other."

"Do you know if he has any close friends or family that he would turn to?"

"He's late brother's wife lives in town. She travels a lot though." Mrs Daring said. Ziva made eye contact with McGee.

"What is her name?" McGee asked.

"Charlotte Daring." Mrs Daring replied.

McGee turned back to the laptop and started a search for Mrs Charlotte Daring.

"Got it." McGee replied a few moments later. At the same time Abby came down the stairway bearing steaming hot food.

"No, no, no." Abby stated. "You are not going anywhere until you eat this."

"That does smell delicious." McGee commented realizing how starved he was.

"Okay, we eat and then we go and pay Charlotte a visit." Ziva said.

"I really think you need to take it easy Ziva. You and McGee need to rest and I'm supposed to keep my eyes on you." Abby stated.

"I'm fine, Abby. And thank you for this." Ziva said, taking a bowl of food and eating. "Mrs Daring, we need you to stay with us for the next few hours."

"You wish to use me to draw my ex-husband out?" She stated, accepting a bowl of food from Abby.

"Yes." Ziva replied.

"Okay. I believe it is time this ended and if it's meant for me to play a role in this then so be it." She said.

...xxxxxxxx…

The farmhouse scene was under FBI and Home Securities jurisdiction so Gibbs took Fornell to the ER to get his arm sorted out.

"You said you saw Daring." Fornell asked, applying pressure to his upper arm while Gibbs drove.

"He was in the bushes, watching us." Gibbs said.

"Bastard! If you hadn't shouted out, more of us would be dead now."

Gibbs didn't say anything. He was frustrated that Daring was so close and he managed to get away. Gibbs recognised and accepted the fact that Daring needed to blame someone for his son's death. But he also knew that Daring knew no matter how many good men he killed, his son was never coming back. Gibbs worried that Daring would soon lose perspective of what he was doing. Killing for a reason and killing for the sake of killing were two very separate things.

Arriving at the hospital, Gibbs left Fornell at the ER and headed to the bathroom. He cleaned his head wound and washed his face and hands before heading to the nurse's station to get an update on Tony. He assumed Ziva and McGee would be resting and he didn't plan on disturbing them.

"Which ward is Tony DiNozzo in?" He asked.

"Sir, are you family?" The receptionist asked.

"Yes, I'm his Boss."

"I'm sorry sir, but Agent DiNozzo is not allowed any visitors right now."

"I want to see him." Gibbs demanded. "I'm responsible for him."

"Like a father is responsible for his son?" the nurse asked.

Gibbs looked at her for a second before saying, "Exactly. Now tell me where he is."

The receptionist smiled, nodded and clicked through a few screens on her computer.

"He is in the Isolation ICU Ward on the 7th floor, but like I said…." Gibbs was gone as she looked up. "His not allowed any visitors." She finished.

Gibbs got to Tony's ward without being stopped. He stood just inside the doorway and swore under his breathe.

He stepped as close to the glass wall as he could and stated, "You get yourself out of this, DiNozzo. I want you back on your feet and at my side asap. The next time I see you I want to see you looking back at me."

_God damnit, Tony. _

The door opened and Gibbs leaned back.

"Hey, what are you doing in here? Who are you?" a Doctor demanded.

"I'm his boss." Gibbs growled. "What's wrong with him?"

"Listen, you can't be in here right now." The doctor stated and attempted to direct Gibbs to the door.

"Just answer my question." Gibbs hit his hand away.

"Listen Mister, you need to leave or I'll have to call security." The doctor pointed to the door, agitated and intimidated by Gibbs. Just then a nurse entered the room and took in the scene.

"Are you agent Gibbs?"

"Yes."

"I've been trying to reach you." She said.

"Why? What's wrong with him?" Gibbs looked at Tony in alarm as he searched for his phone.

_Damnit, he must have lost it in the explosion._

Gibbs stared at Tony for a long time. He was still, asleep, Gibbs hoped not unconscious.

"Agent Gibbs," the nurse said. "Please come with me and I'll give you an update on Agent DiNozzo's condition."

Gibbs glared at the doctor, turned back to look at Tony and then followed the nurse out of the room.

"What's wrong with him?" Gibbs demanded.

"Agent DiNozzo has double pneumonia and his lungs are filled with mucus which is making it difficult for him to breathe."

"Okay, but that's treatable."

"Yes, but Agent DiNozzo also has a mild concussion which complicates his treatment."

Gibbs closed his eyes and sighed. "What else is wrong with him?"

"He has a high fever coupled with a high blood pressure which is putting strain on his heart and can lead to another seizure."

"Damnit Tony!"

"The combination of his conditions means that we need to manage his treatment plan very carefully so as to avoid complications." The nurse said.

"Could there be any permanent damage due to this?" Gibbs dreaded the answer to this.

"Well he did wake up earlier and ask about his team. So I'm hoping that he will start responding to the medication and then there should not be any permanent damage."

Gibbs mulled over the nurses words as he made his way to the ward in which Ziva and McGee were. If they were up he would share what he'd learned about Tony.

The ward was empty.

Gibbs rushed to the nurse's to find out if they have been moved to another ward.

"No, Agent Gibbs. They got the doctor to sign them out into Ms Abby Scuito's care." The nurse said looking through their files.

_Damnit, what the hell are they up to! _


End file.
